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Picnic Day,in the mid-late 1950's,possibly very early 1960's,the Bailey Bridge over the road down Bedlington Bank was supported by two sets of pillars constructed from concrete drainage pipe sections filled with re-enforcing rods and solid concrete infills.

The pillars were about three or four feet in diameter,and us kids watched the crews building these bridges [the river one also..on Greenheart wood Trestles..].

You can see Hunter's Farm house ,it's actually on the left side of the road,but perspective makes it look like it is on the right!..the field in the foreground,is Hunter's field,taken from the near top of Bedlington Bank.

The Rostrum in the picnic field can just be seen over the built-up  opencast road,and the white pillar under the bridge is what I have just described.

The main road is out of sight ,and is to the right of the pic,and winds down to go under the Bailey bridge and over the river Blyth.

@HIGH PIT WILMA & @lilbill15Closer view of the Bailey Bridge :- 

Wahey! Exactly as a remembered it! Costain Mining laid this temporary road and built the two bailey bridges, this one and the river crossing one, to take coal from the opencast mine at Acorn Bank, overland to Bebside Colliery, after public  complaints about coal laden lorries speeding down Bedlington, otherwise quiet, main street, one of which knocked my faithful little dog down and killed him, having nearly hit me as we crossed the road. Tulip owned the fleet of old banger lorries, and they used ti belch out black smoke screens all the way up the road, after having climbed Bedlington Bank, empty, on the way back to the Opencast site, where the Golf Course is now, but this was around 1956. The 30-ton Euclids trucks, and also 42-ton Coal Haulers, used to make the bridges bounce e up and down as if they were made of elastic! Thanks for posting Alan! Made me happy ti see it again! 

Cheers Bill. 

Aah @HIGH PIT WILMA! 🥲bless! What was your poor little dog’s name?  Bliddy progress?? trampling on the little man (or dog in your case)! Today they’d have been sued for all sorts of transgressions. Monsters 🤬!

@HIGH PIT WILMA - and the other Bailey bridge that went across the river Blyth.

Great ti see this aal again, wat a blast from thi past! Tha used ti 100,000People gathering in Bedlington, in them days, aal the pubs and clubs packed oot, and just the odd one or two arrests for drunk and disorderly! lilbill, me wee dog was a Lakeland Terrier Spaniel/cross, mostly Spaniel to look at, temper of a  terrier, if another dog crossed him, but otherwise gentle as a lamb! Micky was his name, and me and him roamed them Woods, and aal the fields, wa two selves.. like Elvis and Old Shep!! He used ti sleep aside the coal fire, cuddled up wi me Cat, Tiddles, snuggled tigitha, and when Tiddles had a litter, Micky used ti lie with his front paws around the kittens, guarding them like hell! When they were just born, he used to preen them, by licking them aal thi time, and not even me dare gaan near them for the first few days.. he wud growl at me or anybody else who went near! But as soon as the kittens started wandering, after a few days, he used ti pick them up and carry them back to their Mother, and wag he's tail, like Spaniels dae! Old Dr Hickey used ti call in just ti say hello, is everybody all right, Jean, (my Mother), and he used ti marvel seeing Mickey nursing the kittens, and he wud say, Well, I've never seen anything like that in my life!.. and he bred Greyhounds aal his life! I had Mickey and Tiddles from aboot Four years old, till a was aboot Twelve years old, when that swine raced up Bedlington main street like a maniac, same as aal his marra' s, on bonus work, and couldn't stop his worn oot banger of a lorry. Everybody used ti complain aboot Tulips aad smoky noisy battered aad lorries. the driver got oot, callously pulled  my Micky ti the roadside, and got in his wagon and buggaad off, leaving me sobbing wi me dying dog. A carried him aroond home and he was lifting his head, bleeding heavily, and he was gone as a reached me hoose gate. Aav never forgotten him, and a well up every time a think of that day, around 1956.Noo aam 77yrs old, and a well up instantly when a think of me last litte darlin'... LBJ.. everybody on here knew LBJ, though they never met her.. Little Black Jess. Alan, seems like aam back!.... off topic, am an Allison, we are aal thi syem, we canna help it... gaan ti Newcastle ti get ti Edinburgh! 

Aav got a, short Dvd video, of The Opencast site, which was apparently an old 8mm Cine film reel, which somebody rescued from a skip, and had transferred it ti Dvd. A think the Six Townships were selling it, and my Wife got it for me for Xmas, a few years ago. It shows the 42 ton Coal Haulers crossing the river bridge, and proved what a told me two Sons, and me Wife, for years, aboot the centre span of the bridge bouncing up and doon like a Yo-Yo!. as the Coal Haulers went across the bridge! 

Amazing Engineering, those Bailey bridges, and a never saw another one for another 50-odd yrs, till they renovated the old bridge at Rothbury, a few years ago, and they built a temporary  Bailey bridge next ti thi aad yin, so they could close the aad yin ti start work on it. A took hundreds of photos and videos of the different stages of work in progress, every time we went from the Caravan owa ti Rothbury! The design of the Bailey Bridge sections hasnt changed one bit since a first saw them in the mid.. 1950's.. right up ti thi present day!.. Well, if it ain't broke... dinna fix it!!! 

Oh @HIGH PIT WILMA!! I’m weeping for Micky as I’m reading your account, tears dripping off my chin. What a little darling he sounds; I’m supposing Micky was a boy dog but his mothering of the kittens makes me wonder? I can only imagine how heartbroken you were; I’ve had over a dozen dogs over the years and I miss each and every one of them 😢-my bairns ❣️xx I was a nurse, never stopped to have children and never regretted that; my bairns all had fower legs 💕🌈xxR 

Hi BigBill! How are you doing these days? Sounds like you’ve got your hands full? Are you getting plenty of help and support? Never be too shy or proud to ask for help when you need it; even if it’s just an hour or two off out away from the everyday necessaries!?! If you drop me a private message I’ll give you my phone number and I’m happy to help with anything you need. Kindest regards, R🌈

Aahh! lilbill, a really appreciate ya kindness, but aam as stubborn as they come, My Family GP, the Consultants in Cramlington Hospital a fortnight ago, Nurses, even my Gud Nybors have aal said the same, I really shud have help, but as lang as aam on me two legs.. aal manage! A canna express me gratitude enough, towards aal the caring kind folk like  yasell, mind, right from the first lockdoon, last March, in 2020,me two sets of Nybors, have tekkin torns daeing shopping for Cath and Me, owa a yeor and a haaf!! Cos we were classed as vulnerable, but we have both been double stabbed, and feel a lot more confident noo. 

Thas only ten hooses in wor street, and every nybor has said Bill, just ring or put a shopping list through the door, if ye need owt! Wa really spoilt! 

Cheers!